The present invention generally relates to sealed disk drive environments and, more particularly, to evacuating a fluid from and/or directing a fluid into a sealed disk drive environment using a biased sealing member.
Conventional disk drives typically include a base plate and a cover that is detachably connected to the base plate to define an enclosure for various disk drive components. One or more data storage disks are generally mounted on a spindle which is rotatably interconnected with the base plate and/or cover so as to allow the data storage disk(s) to rotate relative to both the base plate and cover via a spindle motor. An actuator arm assembly (e.g., a single actuator arm, a plurality of actuator arms, an E-block with a plurality of actuator arm tips), is interconnected with the base plate and/or cover by an appropriate bearing or bearing assembly so as to enable the actuator arm assembly to pivot relative to both the base plate and cover in a controlled manner.
A suspension or load beam may be provided for each data storage surface of each data storage disk. Typically each disk has two of such surfaces. All suspensions are appropriately attached to and extend away from the actuator arm assembly in the general direction of the data storage disk(s) during normal operations. A slider is mounted on the free end of each suspension. One or more transducers, such as in the form of a read/write head, is mounted (e.g., embedded) on each slider for purposes of exchanging signals with the corresponding data storage surface of the corresponding data storage disk. The position of the actuator arm assembly, and thereby each transducer, is controlled by a voice coil motor or the like which pivots the actuator arm assembly to dispose the transducer(s) at the desired radial position relative to the corresponding data storage disk. Linearly actuated actuator arm assemblies are also known. In any case, each data storage surface of each data storage disk has a plurality of concentrically disposed tracks that are available for data storage. Typically these tracks are circular and are concentrically disposed on a data storage disk of a disk drive. As the track density or the number of tracks per inch increases, so to does the need to be able to precisely position the transducer(s) relative to its corresponding data storage surface. Various types of technologies have been proposed for controlling transducer positionings in disk drives.
One type of disk drive design has the slider in spaced relation to its corresponding data storage surface during normal disk drive operations. This is commonly referred to as a flying-type slider in that the slider flies on what is commonly referred to as an air bearing. This air bearing is a thin boundary layer of air that is carried by the rotating data storage disk. The surface of the slider that projects toward its corresponding data storage disk is configured with one or more air bearing surfaces that compress this boundary layer of air. Compression of the boundary layer of air exerts increased pressure on the slider that results in a sufficient resultant lifting force on the slider, that in turn allows it to remain in vertically spaced relation to its corresponding data storage disk during its rotation. Other read/write disk drive technologies are based upon establishing/maintaining contact between the transducer and the data storage surface of the relevant data storage disk at least at certain times during disk drive operations. This has been commonly referred to in the art as contact or near-contact recording.
Rotating data storage desks within a drive may be excited by both internal and external vibrations. Vibrations may cause an undesired relative motion between a given transducer and its corresponding data storage disk. In at least certain cases this can lead to an error in the transfer of data based upon an inaccurate positioning of a given transducer relative to its corresponding data storage disk. This is commonly referred to in the art as xe2x80x9ctrack misregistrationxe2x80x9d or TMR.
Other factors may increase the occurrence or frequency of TMR. For instance, the need to rapidly access information has led to disk drives having data storage disks that are rotated at ever increasing speeds. Higher rotational speeds for the data storage disk(s) of the drive may increase the vibration of various disk drive components and thereby the occurrence of TMR. Increased vibrations in this case may be due to a turbulent excitation of the head/disk assembly or the HDA of the disk drive. The HDA is commonly contained within a rather small and enclosed space that may be characterized as a disk drive housing (e.g., a cover that is detachably interconnected with a base plate or the like). As such, increased airflow within this small enclosed space due to the increased rotational speeds of data storage disk(s) may cause various disk drive components to vibrate, which in turn may lead to increased occurrences of TMR.
Higher rotational speeds of data storage disks within a drive also generate more aerodynamic drag on the data storage disks and a corresponding increase in the amount of power that is consumed to operate the drive, as well as the operating temperature within the disk drive housing. One solution that has been proposed to reduce the magnitude of both the turbulent excitation of the HDA and aerodynamic drag due to the increased rotational speeds of the data storage disk(s) of the drive has been to replace the air within the enclosed space of the disk drive housing with an inert gas such as helium, nitrogen, or argon. Various ways of providing a hermetically sealed disk drive housing to accommodate the storage of these types of fluids have been proposed. However, these designs have principally focused on sealing the interface between the cover and the base plate of the disk drive, and not the manner in which the air is evacuated from the disk drive housing and then replaced with the desired inert gas.
One way to characterize a first aspect of the present invention is as a method for establishing an operating environment for a data storage device. Another way to characterize this first aspect is as a method for assembling a data storage device. In any case, a first fluid (e.g., one or more gases) is withdrawn from an enclosed space within a housing used by the data storage device. Representative componentry of the data storage device that may be contained within this housing includes a computer-readable data storage medium (e.g., a data storage disk assembly of any appropriate type/configuration), as well as possibly other components such as an actuator assembly of any appropriate type/configuration. A second fluid (e.g., one or more gases) is introduced into this enclosed space through a first port that extends through an entire wall thickness of the housing. Thereafter, this first port is sealed. In this regard, a sealing member is biased into engagement with the housing with a sufficient force to establish a suitable seal for the second fluid within the housing.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the first aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the first aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. The first port may be formed at any appropriate location on the housing, including on a base plate or cover of the housing. Preferably, the sealing member interfaces with an exterior surface of the housing. However one or more aspects of the present invention cover having the sealing member interface with an interior surface of the housing.
Any amount of the first fluid may be removed from the housing, including all of the first fluid or only part of the first fluid. The pressure within the housing may be at any desired or required level after the withdrawal as well (including a positive or a negative pressure). Preferably, the first fluid will be withdrawn from the enclosed space within the housing before initiating the introduction of the second fluid into the housing in the case of the first aspect. However, the first fluid could be removed from the enclosed space by the introduction of the second fluid into the enclosed space. Air may be the fluid that is removed from the enclosed space of the housing, although any fluid that exists within the housing may be removed from the enclosed space of the housing utilizing the first aspect. The withdrawal of the first fluid from the enclosed space within the housing may include directing this first fluid out through the first port and through a space between the sealing member and the housing. The withdrawal of the first fluid from the enclosed space within the housing may also entail moving the sealing member out of engagement with the housing by a suction force that may be used to accomplish the fluid withdrawal, the pressure being exerted on the sealing member by the first fluid as the first fluid flows out of the housing and past the sealing member, or a combination thereof.
A magnitude of the biasing force being exerted on the sealing member may be reduced before executing at least one of, and more preferably before executing each of, the withdrawal of the first fluid from the enclosed space within the housing and the introduction of the second fluid into the enclosed space within the housing in the case of the first aspect. One portion of a biasing spring may be anchored to the housing while another portion of such a biasing spring engages the sealing member to force the same into appropriate engagement with the housing. The interconnection between this biasing spring and the housing may be loosened and which may reduce the magnitude of the biasing force being exerted on the sealing member by the biasing spring to facilitate the withdrawal of the first fluid and/or the introduction of the second fluid. Once the desired amount of the second fluid has been introduced into the enclosed space of the housing, this interconnection between the biasing spring and the housing may be tightened such that the biasing spring thereafter generates sufficient biasing forces to engage the sealing member against the housing to the desired degree (e.g., to retain of the second fluid within the enclosed space of the housing).
Any appropriate fluid may be introduced into the enclosed space within the housing and for any appropriate purpose in the case of the first aspect, including without limitation helium, hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, air or any combination thereof. Any combination of one or more fluids may be introduced in the case of the first aspect, at any desired or required relative amount(s), and in any appropriate manner. The desired fluid within the housing may actually be a mixture of air and one or more other appropriate fluids. In the case where air and at least one other fluid is the desired fluid within the housing, this mixture may be realized within the housing by leaving a certain amount of air within the housing and then introducing the other fluid(s) therein. Another option would be to withdraw all of the air from the housing, and to then introduce air and one or more other fluids in the desired/required relative amounts (e.g., individually (sequentially or simultaneously); as a mixture). The introduction of the second fluid may be adapted in any appropriate way to achieve the desired result within the housing.
Pressure within the enclosed space of the housing may be established at any appropriate level after the introduction of the second fluid therein in the case of the second aspect (e.g., greater or less than one atmosphere). The introduction of the second fluid into the enclosed space within the housing may include moving the sealing member out of engagement with the housing using a pressure being exerted on the sealing member by a flow of the second fluid onto the sealing member to dispose the same in spaced relation to the housing. A flowpath to the enclosed space within the housing for the second fluid may then include a space between the sealing member and the housing, as well as of course the first port.
Any appropriate configuration for the sealing member may be utilized in the case of the first aspect. For instance, the sealing member could be in the form of a ball that is disposed over and appropriately seated partially within or about an end of the first port that is disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. Typically such a ball would have a larger diameter than the end of the first port being sealed by the ball. Another appropriate configuration would be a sealing member in the form of a needle-valve (e.g., conical or frustumly-shaped) that would extend within the first port to at least a certain degree. The sealing member could also be configured so as to be disposed about the first port when in sealing engagement with the housing. That is, the seal need not be established with an edge of the housing that defines an end of the first port that is disposed on its exterior surface, although this edge could be used to establish the seal. In any case, one way to enhance the seal between the sealing member and the housing is to form at least an exterior portion of the sealing member that engages the housing with a deformable metal so as to provide a suitable seal therebetween. More generally, preferably at least an exterior portion of the sealing member may be formed of a material having a hardness that is less than a hardness of that portion of the housing that is engaged by the sealing member. When such a sealing member is biased into forcible engagement with the housing, at least the outer portion of the sealing member is then able to deform so as to at least substantially conform with the interfacing surface of the housing to improve the seal.
Biasing forces exerted on the sealing member in the case of the first aspect may be derived from any appropriate source, including without limitation by one or more springs that engage the sealing member in any appropriate manner. Any appropriate configuration may be used for such a spring(s). In one embodiment, the sealing member is in the form of a ball that is disposed within a recess formed on a portion of an exterior surface of the housing. This ball has a diameter that is less than that of the recess, that is greater than a depth of the recess such that the ball extends at least slightly beyond adjacent portions of the exterior surface of the housing that are disposed about this recess, and that is greater than a diameter of an end of the first port that is sealed by the ball. This spring is in the form of a flexible beam or the like, is secured to the housing beyond the recess in which the sealing ball is disposed, and extends over and engages a portion of the ball to force the same into contact with a frustumly-shaped base at the bottom of the noted recess where an end of the first port is disposed.
One way to characterize a second aspect of the present invention is as a method for establishing an operating environment for a data storage device. Another way to characterize this second aspect is as a method for assembling a data storage device. In any case, a first fluid (e.g., one or more gases) is introduced into an enclosed space defined at least in part by the housing, through a first port that extends through an entire wall thickness of the housing. Thereafter, this first port is sealed. In this regard, a sealing member is biased into engagement with the housing with a sufficient force to establish a suitable seal for the first fluid within the housing. Representative componentry of the data storage device that may be contained within this housing includes a computer-readable date storage medium (e.g., a data storage disk assembly of any appropriate type/configuration), as well as possibly other components such as an actuator assembly of any appropriate type/configuration.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the second aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the second aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. The first port may be formed at any appropriate location on the housing, including on a base plate or cover thereof. A second fluid (e.g., one or more gases) may be withdrawn from the enclosed space within the housing used by the data storage device. Any amount of the second fluid may be removed from the housing, including all of the second fluid or only part of the second fluid. The pressure within the housing may be at any desired or required level after the withdrawal as well (including a positive or a negative pressure). Preferably, the second fluid will be withdrawn from the enclosed space within the housing before initiating the introduction of the first fluid into the housing. However, the second fluid could be removed from the enclosed space by the introduction of the first fluid into the enclosed space. Air may be the fluid that is removed from the enclosed space of the housing, although any fluid that exists within the housing may be removed from the enclosed space of the housing utilizing the second aspect. The withdrawal of the second fluid from the enclosed space within the housing may include directing this second fluid out through the first port and through a space between the sealing member and the housing. The withdrawal of the second fluid from the enclosed space within the housing may also entail moving the sealing member out of engagement with the housing by a suction force that may be used to accomplish the fluid withdrawal, the pressure being exerted on the sealing member by the second fluid as the second fluid flows out of the housing and past the sealing member, or a combination thereof.
A magnitude of the biasing force being exerted on the sealing member may be reduced before executing at least the introduction of the first fluid into the enclosed space within the housing in the case of the second aspect (e.g., such a reduction may also be done before executing the withdrawal of the second fluid from the enclosed space within the housing discussed above). One portion of a biasing spring may be anchored to the housing while another portion of such a biasing spring engages the sealing member to force the same into appropriate engagement with the housing. The interconnection between this biasing spring and the housing may be loosened and which may reduce the magnitude of the biasing force being exerted on the sealing member by the biasing spring to facilitate the withdrawal of the second fluid and/or the introduction of the first fluid into the enclosed space. Once the desired amount of the first fluid has been introduced into the enclosed space of the housing, this interconnection between the biasing spring and the housing may be tightened such that the biasing spring thereafter generates sufficient biasing forces to engage the sealing member against the housing to the desired degree (e.g., to retain the first fluid within the enclosed space of the housing).
Any appropriate first fluid may be introduced into the enclosed space within the housing and for any appropriate purpose in the case of the second aspect, including without limitation helium, hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, air or any combination thereof. Any combination of one or more fluids may be introduced in the case of the second aspect, at any desired or required relative amount(s), and in any appropriate manner. The desired fluid within the housing may actually be a mixture of air and one or more other appropriate fluids. In the case where air and at least one other fluid is the desired fluid within the housing, the mixture may be realized within the housing by leaving a certain amount of air within the housing and then introducing the other fluid(s) therein. Another option would be to withdraw all of the air from the housing, and to then introduce air and one or more other fluids in the desired/required relative amounts(s) (e.g., individually (sequentially or simultaneously); as a mixture). The introduction of the first fluid may be adapted in any appropriate way to achieve the desired result within the housing.
Pressure within the enclosed space of the housing may be established at any appropriate level after the introduction of the first fluid therein. The introduction of the first fluid into the enclosed space within the housing may include moving the sealing member out of engagement with the housing using a pressure being exerted on the sealing member by a flow of this first fluid onto the sealing member to dispose the same in spaced relation to the housing. A flowpath to the enclosed space within the housing for the first fluid may then include a space between the sealing member and the housing, as well as of course the first port.
Any appropriate configuration for the sealing member may be utilized in the case of the second aspect. For instance, the sealing member could be in the form of a ball that is disposed over and appropriately seated partially within or about an end of the first port that is disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. Typically such a ball would have a larger diameter than the end of the first port being sealed by the ball. Another appropriate configuration would be a sealing member in the form of a needle-valve (e.g., conical or frustumly-shaped) that would extend within the first port to at least a certain degree. The sealing member could also be configured so as to be disposed about the first port when in sealing engagement with the housing. That is, the seal need not be established with an edge of the housing that defines an end of the first port that is disposed on its exterior surface, although this edge could be used to establish the seal. In any case, one way to enhance the seal between the sealing member and the housing is to form at least an exterior portion of the sealing member that engages the housing with a deformable metal so as to provide a suitable seal therebetween. More generally, preferably at least an exterior portion of the sealing member may be formed of a material having a hardness that is less than a hardness of that portion of the housing that is engaged by the sealing member. When such a sealing member is biased into forcible engagement with the housing, at least the outer portion of the sealing member is then able to deform so as to at least substantially conform with the interfacing surface of the housing to improve the seal.
Biasing forces exerted on the sealing member in the case of the second aspect may be derived from any appropriate source, including without limitation by one or more springs that engage the sealing member in any appropriate manner. Any appropriate configuration may be used for such a spring(s). In one embodiment, the sealing member is in the form of a ball that is disposed within a recess formed on a portion of an exterior surface of the housing. This ball has a diameter that is less than that of the recess, that is greater than a depth of the recess such that the ball extends at least slightly beyond adjacent portions of the exterior surface of the housing that are disposed about this recess, and that is greater than a diameter of an end of the first port that is sealed by the ball. This spring is in the form of a flexible beam or the like, is secured to the housing beyond the recess in which the sealing ball is disposed, and extends over and engages a portion of the ball to force the same into contact with a frustumly-shaped base at the bottom of the noted recess where an end of the first port is disposed.
A third aspect of the present invention is embodied by a data storage device that includes a housing. This housing defines an at least substantially enclosed space, has an interior surface that interfaces with this enclosed space, and an oppositely disposed exterior surface. A distance between the interior and exterior surfaces of the housing at a given location thereby defines a wall thickness for the housing at this particular location. Appropriate data storage device componentry within the enclosed space defined by the housing includes without limitation a computer-readable data storage medium (e.g., a data storage disk assembly of any appropriate type/configuration), as well as possibly other components such as an actuator assembly of any appropriate type/configuration. A port extends between a portion of the interior surface of the housing and a portion of the exterior surface of the housing to fluidly connect the enclosed space of the housing with an external environment. However, a sealing member is associated with this first port and is at least at times engageable with the housing to seal the interior of the housing. In this regard, the data storage device of this third aspect further includes a biasing member that forcibly engages the sealing member against the housing to provide a suitable seal at the desired time.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the third aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the third aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. The data storage device may be in any appropriate configuration. For instance, one or more data storage disks may define a data storage disk assembly for the data storage device of the third aspect. Any appropriate type of an actuator assembly may be used by the data storage device of the third aspect as well (e.g., linear, rotary). In one embodiment, the data storage device of the third aspect is a hard disk drive.
The port may be formed at any appropriate location on the housing in the case of the third aspect, including on a cover or base plate thereof. The housing used by the third aspect also may be of any appropriate configuration. For instance, a cover may be detachably interconnected with a base plate to collectively define this housing. Both the cover and base plate may be of any appropriate configuration. Any appropriate way of establishing an appropriate seal between such a cover and base plate may be utilized as well, including any appropriate way for providing a hermetic seal between the cover and base plate. In this regard, the data storage device of the third aspect may include a fluid that is sealed within the housing at any desired pressure. Any appropriate fluid may be retained within the housing and for any appropriate purpose in the case of the third aspect, including without limitation helium, hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, air, or any combination thereof and in the desired/required relative amount(s). Moreover, any combination of one or more fluids (e.g., helium and air) may be contained within the housing at any desired or required relative amount. Pressure within the housing may be at any appropriate level as well.
Any appropriate configuration for the sealing member may be utilized in the case of the third aspect. For instance, the sealing member could be in the form of a ball that is disposed over and appropriately seated on or about an end of the first port that is disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. Typically such a ball would have a larger diameter than the end of the first port being sealed by the ball. Another appropriate configuration would be a sealing member in the form of a needle-valve (e.g., conical or frustumly-shaped) that would extend within the first port to at least a certain degree. The sealing member could also be configured so as to be disposed about the first port when in sealing engagement with the housing. That is, the seal need not be established with an edge of the housing that defines an end of the first port, although this edge could be used to establish the seal. In any case, one way to enhance the seal between the sealing member and the housing is to form at least an exterior portion of the scaling member that engages the housing with a deformable metal so as to provide a suitable seal therebetween. More generally, preferably at least an exterior portion of the sealing member may be formed of a material having a hardness that is less than a hardness of that portion of the housing that is engaged by the scaling member. When such a sealing member is biased into engagement with the housing, at least the outer portion of the sealing member is then able to deform so as to at least substantially conform with the interfacing surface of the housing to improve the seal.
Biasing forces exerted on the sealing member in the case of the third aspect may be derived from any appropriate source, including without limitation by one or more springs that engage the sealing member in any appropriate manner. Any appropriate configuration may be used for such a spring. In one embodiment, the sealing member is in the form of a ball that is disposed within a recess formed on a portion of an exterior surface of the housing. This ball has a diameter that is less than that of the recess, that is greater than a depth of the recess such that the ball extends at least slightly beyond adjacent portions of the exterior surface of the housing, and that is greater than a diameter of an end of the first port that is sealed by the ball. This spring is in the form of a flexible beam or the like, is secured to the housing beyond the recess in which the sealing ball is disposed, and extends over and engages a portion of the ball to force the same into contact with a frustumly-shaped base at the bottom of the noted recess where an end of the first port is disposed.